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Online sale season set to peak tomorrow

Tomorrow is expected to be the busiest day of the summer sales for online retailers as internet sale-hunting reaches its peak. That’s the forecast from shopping comparison site Kelkoo UK.

It estimates some £1.3bn will be spent online over the course of the summer sale period in total, with the peak day tomorrow. In all, 33p of every £1 spent in the summer sales will be spent online.

“Online spending continues to fare well in the unstable economic climate,” says Bruce Fair, managing director of Kelkoo UK, “as consumers seek out the very best bargains and look to cash in on the convenience of no queues and a less stressful shopping experience.”

Opinion Matters quizzed 1,011 consumers for Kelkoo and found 44% of consumers planned to shop online for bargains this summer, spending an average of £36 each. Some 58% of consumers expect discounts of 45% or more in the sales, and 55% believe online summer sales offer better bargains than those held on the high street.

“The fact that the busiest online shopping day looks set to hit more than a month after many of the summer sales began shows how shoppers are increasingly prepared to bide their time and wait for the right price,” says Fair.

“The recent budget may have put the reins on unjustified spending, but it has also highlighted the need to snap up deals when they become available. Much of the uplift seen during the summer months could also be attributed to the impending 20% VAT increase as people look to make the most of lower prices before the higher rate of tax kicks in on January 4.”

According to the survey, 62% think web sales are less hassle than those on the high street while 53% believe they offer more choice and better discounts. Some 51% believe they ultimately have better choice of stock and products.

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